


I Like What I Like (And What I Like Is You)

by orphan_account



Category: Tenspeed and Brown Shoe
Genre: Coming Out, M/M, One Shot, Pineapple on Pizza/No Pineapple on Pizza solidarity, Pre-Relationship, me? writing fic for a fandom that doesnt exist? maybe so!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 19:45:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14960976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: He likes solving mysteries and Mark Savage books, pineapple on pizza and chocolate milkshakes, and -He likes E.L.





	I Like What I Like (And What I Like Is You)

Lionel isn't sure of a lot of things, but he’s sure of what he likes. 

He likes solving mysteries and Mark Savage books, pineapple on pizza and chocolate milkshakes, and -

He likes E.L. 

E.L, his partner, he closest friend. And yet -

Lionel hardly knows a thing about him. 

E.L is a bit of a chronic liar, always jumping from scheme to scheme to disguise to disguise, so much so that Lionel isn’t sure a single thing E.L has told him about himself is true. Is his full name really  _ Early Leroy _ ? Even the probation officers he took E.L to see only ever called him just that, E.L. He’s never been one to snoop and find out for sure. 

And therein lies the problem. 

Lionel likes E.L. Maybe more than he should. He just isn’t sure if E.L likes him  _ back _ . 

“Lionel,” E.L says. “I don’t know how you eat this crap.” 

Lionel frowns down at his pizza, talks with his mouth full of pineapple. “It’s good!” 

E.L rolls his eyes, picks the fruit off another slice and takes a bite. “Whatever, man. You like what you like, I guess.” 

Lionel stares down at his pizza, and doesn’t think about wanting to let E.L pick off the toppings for the rest of time. 

You like what you like. 

 

Lionel never told his folks about...this. 

He let them pressure him into getting engaged again and then ended up breaking it off like he had done the first time, he sat through dinners with them and his ex-fiancee and kept his mouth shut. 

He never told E.L, either. He’s worried it won’t go well. 

Lionel is willing to risk a lot of things. E.L isn’t one of them. 

Lionel leans back against his headboard with a sigh, thinks about when he had a bullet hole in his shoulder and E.L brought him dinner for his trouble, and falls asleep. 

 

The next morning, Lionel thinks about E.L’s desk in their shared office, E.L sleeping on his couch, E.L in his trenchcoat, the feeling of a bullet in the shoulder, and makes a decision. 

 

As per usual, Lionel is the first one in the office. He doesn’t bother picking up where he left off in his novel, just bounces his knee under the desk and shuffles papers and pens around, waiting. It’s been a slow week, not a single case, the wait for E.L could take  _ hours  _ -

“Morning, Lionel,” E.L greets, 15 minutes after Lionel got there. “Anything come in today?”

Lionel jumps up from his seat, hits his knee on the desk as he goes, and ignores it. “E.L!” 

E.L pauses, halfway through draping his coat across the back of his chair. “...Yes?”

“There’s something, uh, very important I have to tell you.” Lionel says. He wipes his palms against the end of his suit jacket. 

“We got a case?” E.L asks. “It’s about damn time, what’s it been, three-”

“No, no, no case, E.L, it’s, um -” He fidgets uncomfortably with the end of his tie. “About, uh. Me.” 

“You?” E.L frowns. “You alright?”

Lionel nods. “Mhm! I’m - I’m fine!” 

He clears his throat, tries to focus - to calm down, at the very least. “I’m peachy, great, actually, and I’m also, uh - uh. Gay.” 

E.L stares. “You’re what?”

“Gay. I’m gay.” Lionel repeats.  _ Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea - _

“Oh.” E.L says. “Not what I was expecting to learn this morning, but alright.”

“You-” Lionel stutters. “You’re - you’re fine with it?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” E.L smiles. “I mean, I’m in about the same boat as you, man.” 

“You -” Lionel blinks. “What?”

“I mean,” E.L scratches the back of his neck, looking as uncomfortable as Lionel was feeling. “I like women sometimes. I like men sometimes.” 

Lionel blinks again. “Okay.”

E.L cracks a grin. “Okay.”

There’s a tense, awkward silence, both of them looking-but-not-looking at the other, before Lionel says: 

“Do you want to go get a pizza with me?”

“I’d love to.” 

**Author's Note:**

> hi, please watch tenspeed and brown shoe and join me in hell! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLULHdqLrlB0BUPU8jC5H1rrtSogV4S0-N


End file.
